EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels,
COM(2011) XXX final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE

COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE
COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Energy Efficiency Plan 2011

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Energy Efficiency Plan 2011

A new plan for energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is at the heart of the EU’s Europe 2020 Strategy for smart,
sustainable and inclusive growth1 and of the transition to a resource efficient
economy. Energy efficiency2 is one of the most cost effective ways to enhance
security of energy supply, and to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and
other pollutants. This is why the Union has set itself a target for 2020 of saving
20% of its primary energy consumption compared to projections3, and why this
objective was identified in the Commission’s Communication on Energy 20204
as a key step towards achieving our long-term energy and climate goals.
Substantial steps have been taken towards this objective – notably in the
appliances and buildings markets5. Nonetheless, recent Commission estimates
suggest that the EU is on course to achieve only half of the 20% objective6. The
EU needs to act now to get on track to achieve its target. Responding to the
call of the European Council of 4 February 2011 to take 'determined action to
tap the considerable potential for higher energy savings of buildings, transport
and products and processes'7, the Commission has therefore developed this
comprehensive new Energy Efficiency Plan.
The combined effects of full implementation of the existing and new measures
will transform our daily life and have the potential to generate financial savings
of up to €1000 per household8 every year; improve Europe’s industrial
competitiveness; create up to 2 million jobs9; and reduce annual greenhouse
gas emissions by 740 million tons10.
The greatest energy saving potential lies in buildings. The plan focuses on
instruments to trigger the renovation process in public and private buildings
and to improve the energy performance of the appliances used in them. It
promotes the exemplary role of the public sector, proposing to accelerate the
refurbishment rate of public buildings through a binding target and to introduce
energy efficiency criteria in public spending. It also foresees obligations for
utilities to enable their customers to cut their energy consumption.
Transport has the second largest potential. This will be addressed by the
upcoming White Paper on Transport11.
Energy efficiency in industry will be tackled through energy efficiency
requirements for industrial equipment, improved information provision for SMEs
and measures to introduce energy audits and energy management systems.
Improvements to the efficiency of power and heat generation are also
proposed, ensuring that the plan includes energy efficiency measures across
the whole energy supply chain.
Targets for energy efficiency are an effective way to trigger action and create
political momentum. The "Europe 2020" process has created, with the
application of the "European semester", a new governance context and new
tools for the EU to steer its efforts on energy efficiency. The Commission
therefore proposes a two step approach to target setting. As a first stage,
Member States are currently setting national energy efficiency targets and
programmes. These indicative targets and the individual efforts of each
Member State will be evaluated to assess likely achievement of the overall EU
target and the extent to which the individual efforts meet the common goal.
The Commission will support and provide tools for the Member States in the
elaboration of their energy efficiency programmes and closely monitor their
implementation within the new framework provided under the Europe 2020
process. In 2013, the Commission will provide an assessment of the results
obtained and whether the programmes will, in combination, deliver the
European 20% objective. If the 2013 review shows that the overall EU target is
unlikely to be achieved, then as a second stage the Commission will propose
legally binding national targets for 2020. As in the case of renewable energy, it
would then be necessary to take into account the individual starting points of
Member States, their economic performance and early action undertaken in the
field.
This plan builds on the contributions of the European Parliament, notably the
recent own-initiative report on energy efficiency12, of many stakeholders, and
on experience gained with the 2006 Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The
Commission estimates that the measures already in place, combined with
those newly presented in this plan, should ensure the full achievement of the
20% target. The leading principle of this plan is to propose stringent bindings
measures without binding national targets.
This plan forms part of the Europe 2020 Strategy's Flagship Initiative to a
Resource Efficient Economy13.
The Union's success in implementing this plan will depend on close cooperation
between the EU institutions, Member States and all relevant stakeholders. The
Commission counts on the involvement and commitment of all parties
concerned in this ambitious endeavour.

Public sector: leading by example

Public spending accounts for 17%14 of EU GDP. Publicly owned or occupied
buildings represent about 12% by area of the EU building stock15. A stronger
emphasis on energy efficiency in the public sector is crucial, covering public
purchasing, the refurbishment of public buildings and the encouragement of
high performance in cities and communities. The public sector can create new
markets for energy efficient technologies, services and business models.
 Energy efficiency in public spending
Steering public spending towards energy efficient products, transport modes,
buildings, works and services helps to reduce public authorities' expenditure on
energy bills and offers improved value for money. The Commission's work on
public procurement for a better environment has supported this by developing
procurement criteria that take energy efficiency into account16. In addition,
public bodies that are subject to the EU public procurement Directives are
already required to take into account energy efficiency criteria in their
procurement of vehicles17 or office equipment18. From 2019 onwards, this will
also be the case for the sector's new buildings, which will have to reach a
"nearly zero-energy" performance level19. To deploy this approach on a wider
scale, the Commission proposes that high standards of energy efficiency should
systematically be applied when public authorities purchase goods (e.g. ICT
equipment), services (e.g. energy) and works (e.g. refurbishment of buildings).
 Renovation of public buildings
Public bodies should take the lead in bringing their buildings up to high energy
performance levels. In order to achieve this result it would be appropriate for
public authorities at least to double the current renovation rate. The
Commission will therefore propose that public authorities should be required to
refurbish at least 3% of their buildings (by floor area) each year – about twice
the currently prevailing rate for the European building stock20. Each
refurbishment should bring the building up to the level of the best 10% of the
national building stock. And when public bodies rent or buy existing buildings,
these should always be in the best available energy performance class.
With respect to the energy efficiency of their own buildings, the European
institutions should be no less ambitious than their hosting member states. They
should continue the efforts of improving the energy performance level of the
buildings which they already own and commit themselves to produce
measurable results. In the case of future building rentals or purchases, the
institutions should endeavour, as much as possible, to meet the requirements
of top available energy performance classes, taking due account of cost benefit
and competition considerations.
 Energy performance contracting
Energy performance contracting is an important tool in the refurbishment of
buildings. Under this performance-based form of purchasing, monetary savings
from lower utility bills and maintenance costs that result from energy efficiency
measures are used to cover part or all of the measures' investment costs. This
model has been tried and proved cost-effective in a number of Member
States21. Energy performance contracting is relevant for triggering renovation
in public buildings and for upgrading the energy efficiency level of public
infrastructure such as street lighting22. However, the deployment of energy
performance contracting is hampered in many Member States by ambiguities
in the legal framework and the lack of reliable energy consumption data to
establish the baselines against which performance is measured. The
Commission will bring forward legislative proposals to overcome these
problems in 2011.
 Implementing energy efficiency on the ground
More than two thousand cities have volunteered to implement sustainable
energy measures through the EU-supported Covenant of Mayors23. The
Covenant is a formal commitment to reduce signatories' CO2 emissions by
more than 20% by 2020 through sustainable energy measures on their
territories. It is made concrete through Sustainable Energy Action Plans,
developed in line with the Covenant methodology and formally agreed by the
city/regional council. The benefits go beyond energy saving: building
retrofitting, urban mobility and urban renovation are employment-intensive
economic activities, and the jobs created tend to be skilled, stable and not
subject to delocalisation.
The Commission will continue to support the local approach to energy
efficiency through the Covenant of Mayors and will seek to encourage
partnerships with more like-minded cities including those from countries
outside the EU. In 2011 it will also launch a new Smart Cities and Smart
Communities initiative to develop the European framework for excellence in
innovative low-carbon and efficient energy solutions at the municipal level. This
initiative will focus on speeding up the translation of research results into real,
practical innovations in selected cities and communities. In particular, the
initiative will support large scale demonstration projects also including action
on urban mobility and the use of information and communication technologies.

Paving the way towards low energy consuming

buildings
Nearly 40%24 of final energy consumption is in houses, public and private
offices, shops and other buildings. As the figure shows, in residential homes,
two thirds of this is for space heating.
Figure: EU-27 households' energy consumption at home, %
Source: Odyssee indicators, www.buildup.eu
A large energy saving potential remains untapped. Techniques exist to cut
existing buildings' consumption by half or three quarters25 and to halve the
energy consumption of typical appliances. But the renovation rate of buildings
is too low, as is the uptake of the most efficient appliances. The barriers to
energy efficiency buildings need to be overcome.
 Tackling heat use in buildings
Addressing heat consumption in buildings will be of prime importance in the
coming years. The Commission will further explore the range of available
solutions, including possibilities to promote the use of district heating in the
context of integrated urban planning.
 Legal obstacles
One important barrier is "split incentives" for upgrading energy performance.
This term describes the common situation in which owners and tenants are
each reluctant to pay for improving the energy performance of a rented
property because the benefits are shared between them. Several Member
States have developed legal provisions that define the amount which can be
recovered by investors from tenants. In public and commercial buildings ESCOs
can also play a key role in overcoming the problem. The Commission will bring
forward legislative provisions requiring Member States to introduce measures –
in line with national property law - to address this problem.
 Training
Energy efficient building solutions are often technically demanding. There is a
lack of appropriate training for architects, engineers, auditors, craftsmen,
technicians and installers, notably for those involved in refurbishment. Today,
about 1.1 million qualified workers are available, while it is estimated that 2.5
million will be needed by 201526. The Commission is therefore launching the
'BUILD UP Skills: Sustainable Building Workforce Initiative' to support Member
States in assessing training needs for the construction sector, developing
strategies to meet them, and fostering effective training schemes. This may
lead to recommendations for the certification, qualification or training of
craftsmen. The Commission will also work with the Member States to adapt
their professional and university training curricula to reflect the new
qualification needs (in line with the European Qualification Framework).
 Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) as catalysts for renovation
ESCOs deliver energy efficiency improvements, accepting financial risk by
covering – or helping to finance - upfront investment costs and refinancing this
through the savings achieved. They can help public authorities upgrade
buildings by grouping them into scalable projects under energy performance
contracts. Analysis suggests that the market for energy services in Europe is
not developing to its full potential27. Potential clients in the private and public
sector often lack systematic information on available ESCO services or have
doubts about the quality of the services offered. In order to overcome these
barriers and increase the transparency of the ESCO market, the Commission
will propose that Member States provide market overviews, lists28 of accredited
energy service providers and model contracts. The European public private
partnership expertise centre (EPEC) can also provide useful information.
For ESCOs to play their role, they need access to financial resources. Innovative
financing with high leverage both on national and European level would be an
appropriate way to catalyse the development of this market, for example,
through the expansion of access to project-based financing via instruments
that may include provision of liquidity and guarantees, credit lines and
revolving funds.

Energy efficiency for competitive European

industry
 Efficient generation of heat and electricity
About 30% of the EU's primary energy consumption is consumed by the energy
sector, mainly for transforming energy into electricity and heat and for
distributing it. New generation capacity and infrastructure need to be built to
replace ageing equipment and meet demand29. It is important to ensure that
energy efficiency is taken into account and that new capacity reflects the best
available technology (BAT). The Emissions Trading Scheme30 will encourage
this, as will the new Industrial Emissions Directive31. The Commission will
monitor the extent to which these measures lead to an improvement in the
efficiency of new generation. Taking into account the results, and the need to
achieve greater efficiency in a longer term perspective, the Commission will
consider introducing a legal provision requiring Member States to make the
achievement of BAT levels applicable to new installations a mandatory
condition for the authorisation of new capacity and to ensure that existing
installations are upgraded to BAT levels applicable to existing capacity as part
of their permit update.
Exploring ways to tackle the effective recovery of heat losses from electricity
and industrial production processes will be another important task for the
Commission, since unused energy saving potential is far from being exhausted
and could cover a significant part of Europe’s thermal energy needs e.g. for
heating and cooling, boosting local resources and displacing imported energy in
many instances. Harnessing this potential requires an integrated, cross-cutting
approach that takes into account current thermal energy needs e.g. in buildings
and businesses, the role of local and regional authorities in planning and
implementing energy efficient and environmental friendly strategies, including
the development of efficient infrastructures, and synergies with commercial
solutions for cheap, clean and convenient thermal supply services using
recovered waste heat.
Greater use of (high-efficiency) cogeneration and district heating and cooling
can make an important contribution to energy efficiency. The Commission will
therefore propose that, where there is a sufficient potential demand, for
example where there is an appropriate concentration of buildings or industry
nearby, authorisation for new thermal power generation should be conditional
on its being combined with systems allowing the heat to be used – “combined
heat and power” (CHP)32 – and that district heating systems are combined with
electricity generation wherever possible. To improve the energy-saving
performance of CHP systems, the Commission also proposes that electricity
distribution system operators provide priority access for electricity from CHP,
and will propose reinforcing the obligations on transmission system operators
concerning access and dispatching of this electricity.
 Energy efficiency in electricity and gas networks
The Commission will strengthen the basis for national grid regulators to take
energy efficiency into account in their decisions and in monitoring the
management and operation of gas and electricity grids and markets, including
reflecting energy efficiency priorities in network regulations and tariffs, network
and technical codes.
 Energy efficiency as a business sector
A prerequisite for an energy efficient Europe is creating value for energy
savings through market mechanisms. Instruments are therefore needed to put
a financial value on energy savings and link the profits of utilities (suppliers or
distributors) to energy efficiency rather than the volume of energy delivered.
Some Member States33 have already established a system of national energy
saving obligations for the energy industry with good results: savings of up to
6% of final energy consumption have been achieved34. In systems of this type,
utilities are required to deliver a fixed amount of energy savings by
implementing energy efficiency improvements among their customers (such as
households, companies, municipalities or housing associations) or in other
sectors such as energy generation or transport. As an alternative to delivering
the savings themselves, some systems allow utilities to buy the energy savings
from actors such as energy service companies (ESCOs). Energy saving
obligations stimulate suppliers to change their business model from retailing
energy commodities towards offering energy services.
The Commission will propose that all Member States establish a national
energy saving obligation scheme appropriate for their circumstances. The
impact could - depending on the scope and stringency of the requirement -
yield savings of up to 100 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) in 202035.
  Increasing the competitiveness of European manufacturing
industry
About 20%36 of the EU's primary energy consumption is accounted for by
industry. This is the sector where progress in energy efficiency has been
greatest (with a 30% improvement in energy intensity over 20 years).
Nevertheless, worthwhile energy saving opportunities remain. The Emissions
Trading Scheme and the Energy Taxation Directive (including its planned
reform)37 should encourage take-up of some of these opportunities, but will not
address obstacles like lack of information, lack of access to capital, and short
term pressures of the business environment. Overcoming these obstacles
would reduce energy costs and improve competitiveness. At a time of
increasingly scarce energy resources worldwide, expertise in energy efficient
processes, technologies38 and services can also be turned into a new export
business, giving a competitive edge to European industries.
The obstacles to investment in energy efficient technologies are most acute for
small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)39. The Commission will
therefore encourage Member States to provide them with information (for
example about legislative requirements, criteria for subsidies to upgrade
machinery, availability of training on energy management and of energy
experts) and develop appropriate incentives (such as tax rebates, financing for
energy efficiency investments, or funding for energy audits). In association with
the relevant industry associations, the Commission will support the exchange
of best practices in energy efficiency and projects aimed at building capacity
on energy management in micro and small companies. It will support the
development of tools that SMEs can use to benchmark their energy use against
comparable companies.
For large companies the Commission will propose to make regular energy
audits mandatory. It will recommend that, working in compatibility with EU
state aid rules, Member States should develop incentives for companies to
introduce an energy management system (for example as set out in standard
EN 16001) as a systematic framework for the rational use of energy40.
Building on the success of ecodesign measures as an effective tool to stimulate
innovation in energy efficient European technologies, the Commission is
investigating whether and which energy performance (ecodesign)
requirements would be suitable for standard industrial equipment such as
industrial motors, large pumps, compressed air, drying, melting, casting,
distillation and furnaces.
The Commission will continue to work with industry – including energy
intensive industries41 and the ICT industry42, which is a key enabler in
achieving improvements in other sectors - to encourage voluntary
agreements on implementing energy efficiency processes and systems. These
should be based on clear targets and monitoring schemes, notably via
ecodesign requirements, and can include the dissemination of good practice. To
support technological innovation, the Commission will continue to foster the
development, testing and deployment of new energy-efficient
technologies through the Strategic Energy Technology Plan43 (SET Plan) in
order to help the EU become more energy-efficient and open new markets for
EU industries.
Appropriate national and European financial
support
Many energy efficiency investments pay for themselves quickly, but are not
realised due to market and regulatory barriers. Market incentives and price
signals therefore need to be intensified through energy and carbon taxes and
through national energy saving obligations for utilities (see chapter 4). This
should be complemented by mechanisms to improve the availability of suitable
financing products. Since investment costs represent a significant financial
barrier to the use of energy efficient technologies, availability of funding plays
an important role in accelerating investment.
Complementing national funding programmes, the EU is currently able to
support energy efficiency through:
 Cohesion Policy: For the period 2007-2013, the planned support from
Cohesion Policy Funds for investments related to energy efficiency, co-
generation and energy management is approximately €4.4 billion. Two
key amendments44 have been made to better reflect energy efficiency
needs. Whereas regional policy has traditionally financed energy
efficiency investments only in public and commercial buildings, it is now
possible to use these funds in the residential sector in all Member States;
and the use of financial engineering instruments has been extended to
energy efficiency in buildings. In cooperation with the responsible
programme managers, the Commission will seek ways to improve the use
of the resources available for energy efficiency improvements.
 The Intelligent Energy Europe Programme (2007-2013): this €730
million programme supports projects to overcome market failures,
including activities to accelerate the renovation of the building stock. One
of its newest tools is the ELENA (European Local Energy Assistance)
facility. This provides grants to local and regional authorities for the
technical assistance costs of developing bankable sustainable energy
investments. The original facility was implemented by the European
Investment Bank; two additional facilities are foreseen in 201145. In just
over a year of operation, ten ELENA projects have been approved which
will provide approximately €18 million in grants to final beneficiaries with
a view to mobilizing about €1.5 billion in investments over their three
year lifetimes.
 Intermediated finance: Credit lines from International Financial
Institutions (IFI) and other public sector banks have provided an
important source of finance for energy efficiency projects through
intermediated finance through local banks. Use is often made of EU
funding to provide technical assistance, either to the participating bank
for capacity building, or for measures such as energy audits for final
beneficiaries.
 The European Economic Recovery Programme: This programme is
funding the "Energy-efficient Buildings" public private partnership,
providing €1 billion research methods and technologies to reduce the
energy consumption of new and renovated buildings. In addition, the
Commission is currently working with the European Investment Bank to
set up a dedicated investment fund using unspent funds from this
programme to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
 This will be launched later in 2011.
In the process of preparing the next multi-annual financial framework, the
Commission is examining the results achieved by EU support programmes and
their European added value. It will analyse the scope for improvement of
existing EU financial mechanisms as well as further options to trigger
investments in energy efficiency at the scale necessary to attain the 2020 EU
energy and climate objectives.

Savings for consumers

Improvements to the energy performance of devices used by consumers – such
as appliances and smart meters – should play a greater role in monitoring or
optimizing their energy consumption, allowing for possible cost savings. To this
end the Commission will ensure that consumer interests are properly taken into
account in technical work on labelling, energy saving information, metering and
the use of ICT. The Commission will therefore research consumer behaviour and
purchasing attitudes. It will also consult consumer organisations at the early
stage of the process. Consumers need clear, precise and up to date information
on their energy consumption – something that is rarely available today. For
example, only 47% of consumers are currently aware of how much energy they
consume46. They also need trustworthy advice on the costs and benefits of
energy efficiency investments. The Commission will address all of this in
revising the legislative framework for energy efficiency policy.
 Promoting energy efficient appliances
Improving the performance of buildings, and the products used to heat, cool,
ventilate and light them, is one of the most tangible ways in which energy
efficiency policy can benefit household budgets. Already-introduced ecodesign
efficiency standards and energy labels for household appliances 47 have
delivered substantial energy savings for consumers and business opportunities
for European manufacturers of high quality goods. Under the current ecodesign
working plan48, the Commission will continue this approach, setting stricter
consumption standards for heating boilers, water heaters, computers, air
conditioners, tumble driers, pumps, vacuum cleaners and further types of
lighting. It will also bring forward a new working plan for 2012-2014.
Energy labels are an essential accompaniment to this approach. They are most
effective when taking the way consumers choose as their starting point. The
Commission will launch a survey on consumer understanding of energy labels.
This will help to better accommodate consumer interests in forthcoming energy
labelling measures and also support the dialogue with consumer organisations.
In its future work on ecodesign and energy labelling the Commission will
examine the option, where relevant, of covering systems as well as individual
products. It will strengthen market surveillance to ensure that product
requirements are properly implemented and will support measures to help
consumers, installers and retailers make best use of energy labels.
 Empowering consumers with new technology
Under current EU legislation49, final consumers should already be informed
frequently about their energy consumption at the time of use to enable them to
regulate their consumption through individual meters for all important types of
energy: electricity, gas, heating and cooling and hot water. They should also be
provided with information through their bills and contracts about prices and
energy costs. This should be presented in ways which help them improve their
energy efficiency, for instance relating their consumption to benchmarks or
available energy efficient solutions.
In practice, these consumer rights still need to be properly implemented. The
information provided must be better targeted to consumer needs. The
Commission will work with Member States to ensure the full implementation of
these as well as other provisions of European energy efficiency legislation.
In future years the deployment of a European "smart grid" will bring about a
step change in the scope for gathering and communicating information about
energy supply and consumption. This information will allow consumers to save
energy. Member States are obliged to roll out smart electricity meters for at
least 80% of their final consumers by 2020 provided this is supported by a
favourable national cost-benefit analysis50. It is important to ensure that
intelligence can also develop in other networks, such as heat, cooling and
gas51, and that these intelligent networks all contribute to build a well-
functioning, interoperable market for energy efficiency services. Smart grids
and smart meters will serve as a backbone for smart appliances, adding to the
energy savings obtained by buying more energy efficient appliances. New
services will emerge around the development of smart grids, permitting ESCOs
and ICT providers to offer services to consumers for tracking their energy
consumption at frequent intervals (through channels like the internet or mobile
phones) and making it possible for energy bills to indicate consumption for
individual appliances. Beyond the benefits for household consumers, the
availability of exact consumption data through smart meters will stimulate the
demand for energy services by companies and public authorities, allowing
ESCOs to offer credible energy performance contracts to deliver reduced
energy consumption. Smart grids, meters and appliances will allow consumers
to choose to permit their appliances to be activated at moments when off peak
energy supply or surplus wind and solar power are available – in exchange for
financial incentives. Finally, they will offer consumers the convenience and
energy saving potential of turning appliances on and off remotely.
Delivering on this potential requires appropriate standards for meters and
appliances, and obligations for suppliers to provide consumers with appropriate
information about their energy consumption including access to advice on how
to make their consumption less energy intensive and thus reduce their costs. To
this end, the Commission will propose adequate measures to ensure that the
roll-out of smart grids and smart meters fulfils this function. These measures
will include minimum requirements on the content and format of information
provision and services.
Further, the Commission needs to ensure that energy labels (energy
performance certificates) and standards for buildings and appliances reflect,
where appropriate, the incorporation of technology that makes appliances and
buildings “smart grid ready” and capable of being seamlessly integrated into
the smart grid and smart meter infrastructure. Appliances such as fridges,
freezers and heat pumps could be the first to be tackled.

Transport
As well as the sectors covered in detail in this plan, transport – which accounts
for 32%52 of final energy consumption – is a key area for energy savings. It is
the fastest growing sector in terms of energy use, with the strongest reliance
on fossil fuel. The upcoming White Paper on Transport will define a strategy for
improving the efficiency of the transport sector that includes the introduction of
advanced traffic management systems in all modes; infrastructure investment
and the creation of a Single European Transport Area to promote multimodal
transport; smart pricing; and efficiency standards for all vehicles across all
modes as well as other measures to promote vehicle innovation.

A framework for national efforts

Member States have the key role to play in introducing the energy efficiency
policies and measures needed to achieve the 20% target. So far, National
Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs), introduced under the Energy Services
Directive, have provided the national framework for energy efficiency policy
development in end-use sectors53. In the light of this new Energy Efficiency
Plan covering all sectors from generation to end-use, it becomes evident that
the scope of the national framework needs to be expanded to cover the whole
energy chain, thus tapping into more energy saving potentials54.
At the same time, the launch of the first European Semester of ex-ante policy
co-ordination in the framework of the Europe 2020 strategy opens new
opportunities for the Commission to follow and assess Member States' annual
progress in energy efficiency.
As it is essential to monitor national achievements to assess progress made
towards the European 20% target, the Commission will in the coming months
analyse what the most appropriate monitoring framework should be.

Conclusion
The measures proposed in this Plan aim at closing the gap in reaching the EU's
20% energy saving target as well as at helping to realise our 2050 vision of a
resource efficient and low carbon economy. Fully implementing this plan should
deliver important energy savings: it is estimated that the actions of the public
sector and the new minimum efficiency requirements for appliances should
yield savings of up to 100 Mtoe and that comparable savings can also be
expected from measures in the transport sector and from energy savings for
consumers from their energy suppliers55.
The binding measures put forward in this plan will be implemented through
appropriate legislative instruments, including a legislative proposal
encompassing revision of the existing Energy Services and Combined Heat and
Power Directives56. The next steps during 2011 will be the adoption of that
proposal57; the adoption of new ecodesign and energy labelling measures; the
launching of the Smart Cities and Smart Communities initiative; and proposals
on financing tools which will be brought forward during the budgetary
discussions of 2011.
The Commission calls on the EU institutions, Member States and all relevant
stakeholders to endorse this new Energy Efficiency Plan, to actively engage in
discussion concerning implementing measures and to cooperate closely in its
implementation.
1COM(2010) 2020 final
2Technically, 'energy efficiency' means using less energy inputs while
maintaining an equivalent level of economic activity or service; 'energy saving'
is a broader concept that also includes consumption reduction through
behaviour change or decreased economic activity. In practice the two are
difficult to disentangle and – as in this Communication – the terms are often
used interchangeably.
37224/1/07 REV 1: Presidency Conclusions of the European Council of 8/9
March 2007. This objective translates into a saving of 368 million tons of oil
equivalent (Mtoe) of primary energy (gross inland consumption minus non-
energy uses) by 2020 compared to projected consumption in that year of 1842
Mtoe. This objective was reconfirmed by the June 2010 European Council
(17/6/2010 Nr: EUCO 13/10).
4COM(2010) 639 final
5These steps were taken in the framework of the 2006 Energy Efficiency Action
Plan (COM(2006) 545 final); progress is assessed in the accompanying staff
working document SEC (XXX).
6According to the most recent Commission estimates and taking into account
energy efficiency measures implemented up to December 2009.
7European Council Conclusions 4/2/2011 Nr: EUCO 2/11
8COM(2008) 772: Communication from the Commission: Energy efficiency:
delivering the 20% target
9Estimates based on data for the building sector. See SEC(XXX): Impact
Assessment accompanying the Energy Efficiency Plan
10SEC(XXX): Impact Assessment accompanying the Energy Efficiency Plan
11COM(2011) XXX: Communication from the Commission: Roadmap to a single
European Transport Area – White Paper on Competitive and Sustainable
Transport
122010/2107 (INI): European Parliament own initiative report on Revision of the
Energy Efficiency Action Plan
13COM(2011) 21 final
14COM(2011) 0015: Green Paper on the modernization of EU public
procurement policy: Towards a more efficient European procurement market.
15Ecorys, Ecofys and BioIntelligence (2010): Study to Support the Impact
Assessment for the EU Energy Saving Action Plan. The estimate is based on the
assumption of 5 m² of public buildings per citizen, translating into a total floor
area of public buildings (excluding social housing) in the EU of 2.5 billion m².
The total floor area is 21 billion m².
16COM(2008) 400: Communication from the Commission: Public procurement
for a better environment
17Directive 2009/33/EC on the Promotion of Clean and Energy Efficient Road
Transport Vehicles
18Under the European Energy Star Programme, which obliges central
government authorities of Member States and EU institutions to procure
equipment not less efficient than Energy Star ((EC) 106/2008)
19Directive 2010/31/EU on the Energy Performance of Buildings
20The current rate of refurbishment lays between 1.2% and 1.5% per year for
EU27. The upper end of the range reflects the retrofit rate of buildings above
1000 m², which is the case for most public buildings and explains why a
doubling of the current rate leads to 3%. See SEC(2011)XXX: Impact
assessment accompanying the Energy Efficiency Plan.
21Including Denmark, France and Germany
22In 2005, street lighting consumed 36 TWh of electricity.
See
http://ec.europa.eu/governance/impact/ia_carried_out/docs/ia_2009/sec_2009_0
324_en.pdf
23The Covenant procedure was launched in January 2008 and cities and
regions started to adhere in October 2008 when the text of the Covenant was
finalized. See http://www.eumayors.eu/home_en.htm
24In 2008. See Eurostat, Energy, transport and environment indicators, 2010
edition.
25Examples of refurbishment in the Green Building programme show cost-
effective reductions up to 80%.
26Ex-ante evaluation of the initiative on the building workforce training and
qualification in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy within the
Intelligent Energy Europe Programme. See Ecorys, Ecofys and BioIntelligence
(2010): Study to Support the Impact Assessment for the EU Energy Saving
Action Plan, p. 34.
27In the EU, there are an estimated 700-1040 active ESCOs, representing a
market volume of EUR 6.7 to 8.5 billion EUR. The market potential is estimated
at EUR 25 billion. See Bertoldi, Marino, Rezessy, Boza-Kiss (2010): Energy
Service Companies market in Europe – JRC.
28Such lists can be drawn up at national level and be open to any kind of
energy service provider. They would serve only as an information tool. On the
assumption that no accreditation or qualification would be demanded as an
access criterion to feature on the list, it would be ensured that these listings
would not produce adverse effects such as foreclosing the market for services.
The voluntary display of quality seals and references would be an additional
way of increasing trust in the quality of the services offered.
29COM(2010) 677/4: Communication from the Commission: Energy
Infrastructure priorities for 2020 and beyond - A Blueprint for an integrated
European energy network.
30Directive 2003/87/EC as amended
31Directive 2010/75/EU
32Directive 2004/8/EC on the promotion of cogeneration based on a useful
heat demand in the internal energy market and amending Directive 92/42/EEC
33This is for example the case in the UK, Italy, France and Denmark, as well as
the region of Flanders.
34Ecorys, Ecofys and BioIntelligence (2010): Study to Support the Impact
Assessment for the EU Energy Saving Action Plan.
35SEC(XXX): Impact Assessment accompanying the Energy Efficiency Plan
36In 2008. See Eurostat, Energy, transport and environment indicators, 2010
edition.
37Directive 2003/96/EC
38See ELECTRA communication COM(2009) 594 final
39Eurochambres (2010): Energy efficiency in SMEs: Success Factors and
Obstacles.
40Where appropriate, including energy management as an integral part of an
overarching environmental management system.
41The approach will focus on (1) products, (2) power driven systems (e.g.
electrical motor, variable speed drive, control equipment and pumps) and (3)
installations (e.g. installation audits).
42The ICT sector has been invited to develop and adopt common
methodologies for measuring its energy performance and GHG emissions, and
a harmonised way to quantify its enabling potential (COM (2010) 245, A Digital
Agenda for Europe).
43http://ec.europa.eu/energy/technology/set_plan/set_plan_en.htm
44Regulations (EC) No 397/2009 and (EU) No 832/2010
45To be implemented by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and the
Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB)
46SEC(2010) 1409 final: the functioning of retail electricity markets for
consumers in the European Union.
47Fridges, freezers, televisions, dishwashers, washing machines, fans, some
types of lighting, and decoders for digital television
48COM(2008) 660 final: Establishment of a working plan for 2009-2011 under
the Ecodesign Directive.
49Directives 2006/32/EC, 2009/72/EC and 2009/73/EC
50Directive 2009/72/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in
electricity
51According to Directive 2009/73/EC concerning common rules for the internal
market in natural gas retail markets, smart metering should be achieved within
a reasonable period of time.
52In 2008. See Eurostat, Energy, transport and environment indicators, 2010
edition.
53See accompanying staff working document SEC (XXX): National Energy
Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs): update on implementation.
54The existing energy efficiency acquis is extended to the EU's neighbours in
South-Eastern Europe via the Energy Community treaty, ECT (or is in the
process of this in the case of more recent acquis). The framework for promoting
energy efficiency, including the 20% target, therefore applies to partners with a
vocation to join the EU. New EU energy efficiency initiatives will automatically
be added to the ECT acquis.
55These are measure-specific energy savings estimates, subject to certain
overlaps.
56Directives 2006/32/EC and 2004/8/EC
57This proposal will include the measures in this plan dealing with public
purchasing of goods, services and works; renovation of public buildings; energy
performance contracting; split incentives to upgrade energy performance;
energy service companies; efficiency of energy generation; grid access for
electricity from combined heat and power; energy saving obligations; energy
audits; information services for energy consumers; and energy efficiency in
grid regulation.